Pyrophoric lighter mechanism



Feb. ll, 1936. c. J. LAGERHoLM 2,030,331V

PXROPHORIC LIGHTER MECHANISM Filed Aug. 1e, 1935 s sheets-sheet 1' Feb.11, 1936. Q J, LAGERHOLM 2,030,831

PYROPHORIG LIGHTER MECHANI SM Filed Aug. 16, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR v Carl'uflu erozm ATTORNEYS Feb- 11, 1936. c. J. AGERHOLMPYROPHORIC LIGHTER MECHANISM 3 sheets-sheet s Filed Aug. 16, 1955 YINVENTOR Carl fZL'as a er/zom Patented- Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 2.030.831 rraornoarc ucn'rsa M11 amsn -Application August16, 1933, No. 685,308

zsciaims. (cm1-1.1)

I efficient mechanism for burning solid fuel. An-

other object of the invention is to provide a lighter adapted to consumesolid fuel in which the fuel can readily be replenished. Another ob\ject of the invention is to provide a simple and effective feedingdevice for the solid fuel. Another object of the invention is to providea lighter mechanism in which various actions automatically occur in agiven sequence. Another object of the invention is to provide a lightermechanism utilizing a catalytic agent in which the catalytic agent isheld in engagement with the fuel during the sparking operation and thenremoved therefrom. Other objects will be in part obvious or in partpointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction.combinations of elements and arrangement of parts as will be exemplifiedin the structure to be hereinafter described, and the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of various possibleembodiments of the mechanical features of this invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lighter embodying the invention; 1

Figure 2 is a plan view of the lighter;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2looking in the direction of the arrows;

f Figure si is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the finger piecepartially depressed and the snuier partially elevated;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the finger piece fullydepressed and the snuffer fully elevated;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the finger piece detached from thelighter;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the snuffer detached from the lighter;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the catalytic agent carrying member;

. vFigure 10 is a plan viewof a detent and a orosei-section of the fueltube;

Figure 11- is a fragmentary plan view of a more modified form of lightershowing a direct drive between the finger piece and the sparking wheel:

Figure 12 is a. fragmentary perspective view of one arm of the fingerpiece according to the modification of 4Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a. side elevation of the sparking wheel of Figure 11; and

Figure 14 is a vertical sectional view showing a further modification ofthe invention involving a manually operable feeding device for the solidfuel.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 3,

I provide a casing which desirably consists of a pair of shells suitablyfastened together as by 0 solder, the dividing line between the shells(which is scarcely discernible in the finished article) being indicatedby the dotted line 2| in Figure l. The casingy 20 is closed at thebottom by a bottom wall 22 which has four orifices 23, 24, 25 and 13 26.The orifice 23 has secured in it, desirably by solder, the lower end ofa tube 21. Likewise the orifices 24, 25 and 29 have secured inthem tubes28, 29 and 30 respectively. The bottom of each tube is closed by athreaded screw plug, 20 these plugs being designated by the referencecharacters 3|, 32, 33 and 34 respectively for the tubes 21, 28, 29 and30.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, the top of the casing 20 is closed bya top wall flange 35 25 which may be secured to the casing 2li bysolder. The tube 21 extends through the top wall flange 35, the tubebeing located near one end of the lighter as shown in the drawings, andhaving an integral flange 39 with a seat 31 for a snuifer 30 cap 39which will be hereinafter more fully described. The tube 29 containsaspring 39 the upper end of which is coiled about the shank of a plunger40 engaging a piece 4I of pyrophoric metal or other substance adapted toproduce sparks. Referring particularly to Figure 3, the bottom end ofthe spring 39 is coiled about the knob 42 formed on the upper end of thescrew plug 32. By unscrewing the plug 32 the spring 39, the plunger andthe pyrophoric metal 4| 40 may be removed from the tube 28 at any timefor the purpose, fr example, of replacing aggused piece of pyrophoricmetal with a fresh piece.

Referring now to Figure 3, extending downwardly from one end of the topwall flange 35 45 and soldered to the inside of the casing 20 is anirregular supporting member 43. The tube 29 extends through and issupported by the member 43, and the upper end of the tube 28 issupported by a platform 44 extending inwardly from 50 the flange 35.

yReferringnow to Figures 1 and 2, desirably formed integral with themember 43 are a pair of upwardly extending side members 45, 45.Extending between these side members and near `the front thereof, asbetter shown in Figure 1, is a shaft 46 one end of which is threaded andalso shouldered, and the other end of which has a slot therein forascrew driver. Both the threaded and unthreaded ends of the shaft 46 60position relative to the entire mechanism being fit in holes, threadedand unthreaded respectively, inthe side members 46, 45.

Referring now to Figure 3, journaled on the shaft 46 so as to be freelyrotatable thereon is an abrasive wheel 41 which desirably has teeth 68resembling ratchet teeth. The abrasive wheel 41 is in contact with theupper end of the pyrophoric metal 4| which is urgedagainst the teeth 48by means of the spring 39; when the abrasive wheel is rotated in aclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3, portions of the pyrophoricmetal 4| are torn from the body thereof and form a shower of sparksdirected to the left in said figure.

Referring now to Figures 2, 3, 6 and 7, there are likewise freelyjournaled on the shaft 46 a pair of fiat side arms 49, 49 forming theforward part of a finger piece member 56. This finger piece member isshown in perspective in Figure 7 and consists of the aforesaid fiat sidearms 49, 49 joined together by skirt portions 5| and a back 52, thearms, the skirt portions and the back being desirably an integral piece.Resting on the top of the skirt portions 5| and the back 52 is a fingerengaging portion 53 which may be fastened to the said skirt and backportion as by soldering. This finger engaging portion 53 closes overpart of the space between the two skirt portions 5| and the back Wall52. Referring now to Figure 3, a member 54 is secured to the inside ofthe skirt portions 5|, 5| and the nger portion 53, and all these partstogether with the back 52 form a closure 55 for a spring 56. The bottomof the spring 56 fits in a tube 51 held by the irregular supportingmember 43, while a rod 58 desirably fits inside the spring 56 extendingat least part way up in it in order to prevent said spring fromcollapsing. It will thus be seen that the spring 56 maintains fingerpiece 56 in the position shown in Figures 1 and 3, but that said fingerpiece may be readily depressed to the positions shown in Figures 5 and 6by pressure on the portion 53. The front ends of the arms 49, 49 areprovided with holes 59, 59 through which the shaft 46 passes, and whenthe finger portion 53 is depressed the entire finger piece 50 swingsdownwardly about the shaft 46 as a pivot.

On the front of the nearest arm, Figure 1, is a downwardly extending lug66 the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained. Opposite eachother in the arms 49, 49 are a pair of arcuate slots 6|, 6|, the curveof which is drawn on a radius extending from the pivot shaft 46, andthrough the slots 6| extends a shaft 62, like the shaft `46, which issupported by the side members 45, 45 and extends between them, its

clearly indicated in Figure 1. Upon the shaft 62 is pivotaily mounted asnuffer member 63 which carries the snuifer cap 38.

Referring now to Figures 4, 5 and 7, extending inwardly from one of theskirt portions 5| is a latch operating projection 64. 'I'his projection64 may be formed by forcing inwardly part of the metal which constitutesthe skirt 5|, a. cutaway portion 65 being indicated in Figure 4 andrepresenting that part of the skirt portion 5| from which the metalforming the projection 64 was deflected. In this manner manufacture ofthe complete finger piece 50 is facilitated. Rei ferring to Figure '1,extending inwardly from the arm 49 which is integral with the skirtportion 5| having the projection 64 is an integral lug portion 66 thepurpose of which will be hereinafter explained. This lug portion 66 'ismade by upset ting the metal inwardly.

'Ihe snuffer member 63 hereinbefore referred to is shown in perspectivein Figure 8 and in different operating positions in the other figures.It comprises a top portion 61 merging into a pair of downwardlyextending side portions 68, 68 at one end, and side portions 69, 69merging into a rounded downwardly extending front portion 16 at theother end. The side portions 68, 68 of the snuifer member flt betweenthe side portions 49, 49 and the skirts 5|, 5| of the finger piecemember 56, and the shaft 62 has journaled thereon a sleeve 1| whichpasses through opposite holes in the sides 68, 66, the sleeve 1| beingpreferably secured in place by any suitable closed position as shown inFigure 3. The portion to be operated 14 is engaged by the under side'ofthe finger engaging portion 53 when the finger piece 50 is moveddownwardly. Prior to the moving downwardly of the finger piece 50 aprojection 15 formed integral with the portion 53 and extendingforwardly therefrom is in engagement with the under side of the topp0rtion 61 of the finger piece. Under these conditions the spring 12 hasno effect upon the snuffer member 63, as whatever couple is exerted byits end 13 is balanced by the couple exerted by the other end 14,through the medium of the projection 15, or in some cases anintermediate portion of the spring 12 may actually be in engagement withthe under side of thevtop portion 61. The moment the projection 15'isremoved from the under side of the top portion 61, however, as by movingthe finger piece downwardly to the position shown in Figure 5, thetension of the spring 12 is exerted against the snuffer member 63 toswing it upwardly. Thereupon the snuffer member 63 does move upwardly tothe position shown in Figure 5 being held there by latch means whichwill be presently described until the linger piece 50 is moved all theway down, whereupon the latch is tripped and the snuifer flies upward tothe positionshown in Figure 6.

'I'he lighter of the present invention is adapted l to burn solid fuelin the form of a stick of fuel 16 which is received in the tube 21 andurged upwardly by means of a spring 11. 'Ihe composition of this solidfuel is not the subject of the present application and any fuel whichcan be ignited by pyrophoric sparks may be used. The tube 30 contains aspare stick of fuel 18 which may be inserted in the tube 21 when thestick 16 is consumed. 'I'he snuffer cap 38 is received and held by thesnuier member 63 and has a lower bevel edge 19 which seats upon the seat31 to prevent evaporation of the fuel. The pawl member 92 nts betweenthe platform 44 and the sparking wheel 41 on one side and the lug 60 onthe other side, this lug preventing it from riding off the ratchet wheel90. The snuffer cap 38 has a bore 86 spaced from a bore l8| by ashoulder 82. In the bore 86 is a cup-shaped member-83 having a bore inits end portion for the reception of the spindle 84 of a catalytic agentholding member generally designated by the numeral 85. On the lower endof the spindle 84 and just above the catalytic agent 88 is fastened acage member 81. A spring 88 nts in the cup-shaped member 83 one end. ofthe spring 88 pressing against the insideof the end ofthe cup-shapedmember 83 and the other end pressing against the top of the cage member81. The cup-shaped member 83 is fastened in place in the bore 88 and theupper part of the bore 88 serves as a bearing surface for a head 88onthe top of the spindle 84. The bore 8| serves as a bearing surface forthe cage 81, and thus the member 85 is positioned for limited axialmovement in the bores 88 and 8|, being held in one extreme position bythe shoulder 82 and cage 81 and in the other extreme position by thehead 88 and cup-shaped member 83. The spring 88 urges the member=85downwardly, but said member is held upwardly when the snuifer 38 is downby engagement of the vertical portions of the cage 81 with the flange38.

Referring to Figure 3, secured to the abrasive wheel 41 at, one sidethereof is a ratchet wheel 88 which preferably has a very smalldiameter. Mounted on the inside of the snuifer member 83 on a pin 8|extending between the side portions 88 is a multi-toothed pawl member 82in engagement with the ratchet wheel 98. The teeth of the pawl ,82 arepreferably located at the upper end thereof, the lower end being plain,so as to effect rotation of the ratchet wheel only during part of the.upward movement of the snuifer. A spring 83 coiled around the pin 8|urges the pawl member 82 into engagement with the ratch'et Wheel 8 8.

Referring now to Figure 4, upon the pin 8| which receives the spring. 83is another spring 84 one end of which, like spring 83, is in engagementwith the under side of the top portion of the snuifer member, and theother end of which is looped around a latch member 85 which is likewisepivotally mounted on the pin 8| and is urged in the same direction, asregards the snuffer member, as is the multi-toothed pawl member 82. Thepawl member 82 and the latch member 85 are located on opposite sides ofthe plati form 44, the platform 44 together with the top wall flange 45defining slots for these members..

Referring to Figure 8 the latch member 85 is a generally arcuate shapecorresponding to the shape of the multi-toothed pawl member 82, and

on the inner side of the curve are located a pair l f the spring 11 anda releasing` mechanism which will now be described. Referring to Figures-3 and 4, fastened to the outside of the tube 21 is a flat spring 88(generically this is a flat spring but actually has a somewhat curvedshape asv which extend slots |83, |84 are formed in the detent 88A andare engaged by a pair of cam members |85, |88 fastened to the outside ofthe snuffer cap 38. When the snuifer is down as shown in Figure 3 thecam members |85 and |88 engage the cam slots |83 and |84 and hold thelatches |8i, away from the solid fuel 18 which is thus free to riseexcept that it cannot move upwardly beyond the bottom of the catalyticagent 88 which thus forms a stop for the stick of fuel 18. However muchfuel may have burned in the previous use of the lighter, so long asthere is any fuel leftit will rise to the level of the bottom of thecatalytic agent 88. -Upwa'rd movement of the snuffer 38, however,releases the detent 88 and prevents the fuel 18 from flying out of itsretaining tube 21 under the influence of the spring 11.

The operation of the lighter is as follows. Downward movement of thefinger piece 58 causes the spring 12 to urge the snufler member 83upwardly, and the snuffer thereupon rises until the hook portion 88engages the shaft 48. In rising the snuffer member draws the pawl member82 over the ratchet wheel `88 and therefore rotates the abrasive wheel41. During the upward movement of the snuier cap 38 the catalytic agentholding member 85 moves downwardly with respect to the snuifer cap 38maintaining the catalytic agent 88 in engagement with the upper end ofthe fuel 18. Sparks from thepyrophoric member 4| impinge upon thecatalytic agent 88 and the fuel 18 simultaneously and ignite the fuel18. It should be noted that the cage 8 1 il so formed that the sparkshave easy access to the fuel 18,

and furthermore the back of the snuffer cap 38 is cut away for the samereason, and the cam 'members |85 and |88 are spaced apart to allow l hasnot been used for a long time it will immediately takeplace after thesnuffer cap is elevated once to introduce a new supplyr of oxygen intoit. The catalytic agent also increases the vapor tension on the surfaceof the fuel.

When the finger piece 58 is pushed all the way down the latch operatingprojection 84 strikes the latch 85 and moves the hook portion 88 out ofengagement with the shaft 48. Thereupon the snuilfer cap 38 flies'upwardly to the position shown in Figure 6 and the lighter can now beused to light a cigarette, a cigar, a pipe or anything else. It is notedthat the finger piece 58 may be moved downwardly so fast that the twomotions of the snuffer will occur one right after the other, andfurthermore enough teeth arc placed on the pawl member 82 to throw somesparks after the catalytic agent 88 begins to leave the fuel 18.Furthermore downward movement of the catalytic agent holding member 85maintains it in engagement with the fuel 18 during part of the secondmovement of the snuffer.

Extra pieces of pyrophoric material |81 are retained in the tube 38.

Figures 11, l2 and 13 are fragmentary views illustrating a modificationof the invention in-' volving direct drive from the finger piece to thesparking wheel. According to this modifica-tion of the invention thesparking wheel continues to rotate during the timethe snuffer ismaintained in the position shown in Figure 5. According to thismodification of the invention the pawl 92 may be omitted and pawl teethIIIl provided in one of the side arms 49 of the nger piece 50a. rIhesepawl teeth I IIl engage ratchet teeth serrations I I I Aformed in oneside of the sparking wheel 41a. The ratchet teeth serrations I II takethe place of the ratchet wheel 90. Preferably a relatively largesparking wheel 41a is employed in connection with this modification ofthe invention whereby to obtain a large volume of sparks.

Referring now to Figure 14 there is illustrated a. modification of theinvention so far as the feeding mechanism for the solid fuel isconcerned. The tube 21a, is threaded and in it fits a threaded plug II5supporting a coil spring IIB which is in engagement with the solid fuel.The plug I I5 has a bore which is substantially square in cross-sectionand in which fit a pair of wires I I'l desirably formed out of a singlepiece bent over double, the combined cross-section of the Wires II'I.loosely fitting the bore in the plug H5. The wires Ill are fastened to acap II8 which is journaled in the bottom wall 22a of the lighter and hasa knurled periphery extending beyond said bottom wall so as to bereadily rotatable by means of the fingers. Turning of the cap I I8causes the threaded plug I I5 to travel up or down in the tube 21a.

T'he spring H6 fits over a head II9 provided on the plug II5. Thisdevice constitutes manual means for feeding the solid fuel with thespring constituting further feeding means for a limited range.Preferably I provide an escapement mechanism of the type heretoforedescribed in connection with the modification of Figure 14 which,however, may take the simplified form shown in Figure 14.

As shown in Figure 14 the front portion of the tube 21a is cut away toallow a flat spring d20 secured to the outside of the tube 21a toproject into engagement with the solid fuel. A spring |25 has abent-over portion I2I constituting a detent for releasably holding thefuel, and an inclined portion |22 in position to be struck by the edgeof the snuffer cap 38a so that the escapement device is in releaseposition when the snufer is closed as shown in Figure 14. When thesnuffer d8a is raised the spring causes the portion I2I to engage thesolid fuel holding it from rising further under the influence of thespring IIG.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention anapparatus in which the various objects hereinabove set forth, togetherwith many advantages, are successfully achieved.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the abovefinvention and asmany changes might be-made in the embodiment above set forth it is to beunderstood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a lighter, a casing, pyrophoric spark producing means on the topof said casing, a rod of solid fuel, a tube for said rod of solid fuel,means to feed the solid fuel as it is burned, and a pair of escapementdevices arranged to act alternately upon said solid fuel and allow it tobe fed by said feeding means as consumed.

2. In a lighter, a rod of solid fuel, a tube for said fuel, means tofeed the solid fuel as it is burned,

escapement means to control thefeeding of said fuel, and sparkgenerating means adapted to throw sparks on the top of the solid fuel.

3. In a lighter, a casing having a top wall, a

ing said catalytic agent in engagement with said burner during part ofthe time that sparks are thrown by said sparking wheel.

4. In a lighter, a. burner, a. snuffer mounted over said burner, a latchholding a piece of fuel in said burner, connections between said snufferand said latch to hold the latch out of engagement with theI combustiblematerial when the snuffer is down, and spring means to move said latchinto engagement with said combustible material when the snuffer israised.

5. In a lighter, a burner, a snuffer for said burner, a catalytic agent,a holding member for said lcatalytic agent secured to and mounted formovement with respect to said snuffer, and a spring to project saidcatalytic agent toward said burner whereby as the snuffer is raised thecatalytic agent is automatically lowered to' maintain it in engagementwith the burner.

6. In a lighter, a holder for a piece of pyrophoric material, a sparkingwheel in engagement with said piece of pyrophoric material, means torotate said sparking wheel, a burner in the path of the sparks generatedby said sparking wheel, escapement means associated with said burner, arod of solid fuel being part of said burner and controlled by saidescapement means, and additional means to feed said rod.

7. In a lighter, a burner for solid fuel, means to feed said solid fuel,a snuffer, a downwardly moving finger piece, a catalytic agent carriedby said snuier, means operated by said finger piece to eject sparks ontosaid burner, said means acting through the entire downward movement ofsaid snuffer, and means to cause said snufer to be raised a shortdistance maintaining said catalytic agent in engagement with the solidfuel while the sparks are being thrown and finally upon full depressionof said finger piece to move said snuffer rapidly upwardly beyond saidposition.

8. In a lighter, a parallelopipedal casing, a pair of parallel shaftsmounted on top of said casing, a finger piece mounted on one shaft, asnuffer mounted on the other shaft, a tube extending the length of thecasing and having an opening at the end thereof nearest the first namedshaft, fuel 'in said tube, spring means urging said finger pieceupwardly, a sparking wheel mounted on said first named shaft, a ratchetwheel afiixed to said sparking wheel, a tube extending through saidcasing and having an opening on the top thereof under said sparkingwheel, a multitoothed pawl carried by said snuifer in engagement withsaid ratchet wheel whereby upward movement of said snuffer rotates saidratchet wheel and therefore said sparking wheel thereby, throwingconnected to said snuffer to restrain upward and spring means urgingsaid catalytic agent downwardly with respect to said snuffer.

9. In a lighter mechanism as claimed in claim 8, the combination withthe parts therein specified of means to urge the fuel in the first namedtube upwardly, and escapement means controlling the feeding of the saidfuel in the first named tube.

10. In a lighter, a snuifer having a bore, a snuffer cap coaxial withsaid bore, a catalytic agent, a carrying member for said catalytic agentmounted for longitudinal movementlin said bore, and spring means in saidbore projecting said catalytic agent carrying member downwardly.

11. In a lighter, a tube for a rod of solid fuel,

a rod of solid fuel therein, a spring in said tube, f

said tube having screw threads on the inside thereof, screw threadfeeding means in said tube, a manually engageable wheel, a splineconnection between said manually engageable wheel and said screw threadfeeding means whereby to feed the solid fuel in said tube, a latchnormally engaging said solid fuel, a-snuffer to extinguish the flame,and operating portions on the latch and the snuifer respectively to holdsaid latch out of engagement with said solid fuel when said snuier isdown.

12. In a lighter, a rod of solid fuel, a tube for said rod, a spring insaidtube, said tube having screw threads on the inside thereof, screwthread feeding means in said tube, a manually engageable wheel, a splineconnection between said manually engageable wheel and said screwy threadfeeding means whereby to feed the solid fuel in said tube, a latchnormally engaging said solid fuel, and means to move said latch to allowthe fuel to be fed.

13. In a lighter mechanism as claimed in claim 8, the combination withthe parts therein specified of means to feed the fuel in thefirst-namedtube, and cam means to control the feeding thereof.

' 14. In a lighter mechanism as claimed in claim 8, the combination withthe parts therein specifled of resilient means in the first-named tubeurging the fuel upwardly, a detent restraining the fuel from movingupwardly, and means operated by the snuffer for periodically moving saiddetent from its restraining position.

15. In a lighter, an abrasive wheel, a pyrophoric element, a flameproducing burner, a snuffer for said burner, means adapted to removesaid snuffel` from said burner and rotate said wheel, and a catalyticagent maintained in contact with said burner during a portion of theremoval motion of said snuter from said burner, said abrasive wheelbeing adapted to throw sparks conjointly upon said catalytic agent andsaid burner, said catalytic agent being disassociated from said burnerwhen said snuifer ceases its removal motion.

16. In alighter, an inflammable element, a snuifer for` said element andremovable therefrom, a catalytic agent associated with said snuer, sparkproducing means, and means adapted to direct a shower of sparksconjointly upon said inflammable agent and said catalytic agent upon theremoval of said snuifer, said catalytic agent being adjacent saidinflammable element during a portion of the removal motion of saidsnufler and being spaced from said iniiammable element when said removalmotion ceases.

17. In a lighter, means adapted to support combustion, extinguishingmeans movable toward andv away from said first-mentioned means, acatalytic agent associated with said second-mentioned means, andadjacent said first-mentioned meansl when said extinguishing means restsupon said first-mentioned means and during a portion of its removalmotion away therefrom, and means adapted to direct a shower of sparksconjointly upon said first-mentioned means and said catalytic agent uponthe removal of said extinguishing means from said combustible means.

18. In a lighter, means adapted to support combustion, sparking meansfor igniting said firstmentioned means, a snuifer for extinguishing said`first-mentioned means, said snuffer including a bore, and a catalyticagent reciprocably mounted in said bore and in engagement with saidrstmentioned means when said snuifer is positioned thereover and alsoduring a portion of the removal motion of said snuier away from saidfirstmentioned means.

19. In a lighter, a rod of solid fuel, container means for said fuel,means for feeding said fuel as it is burned, a snuifer adapted toextinguish said fuel and movable toward and away from said fuel, acatalytic agent adjacent said fuel when said snuifer is in extinguishingposition and spaced from said fuel during combustion thereof, and sparkgenerating means adapted to direct sparks conjointly upon said catalyticagent and said fuel when said catalytic agent is adjacent said fuel.

20. In a lighter, a substantially rigid combustible element, means forigniting said element, means for extinguishing said lelement, meansadapted to facilitate and expedite the ignition of said combustibleelement, and means actuated by said extinguishing means for feeding saidcombustible element as portions thereof are burned away.

21. In a lighter, a substantially rigid combustible element, meansincluding an igniter and a snuffer for said element, .said igniteroperating during the motion of said means in one direction and saidsnuffer fulfilling its function upon the opposite direction of operationof said means, and means for feeding said element subsequent to theburning away of portions thereof, said means including a detentintermittently in engagement with said element and movable out ofengagement therewith upon said opposite direction of movement of saidfirst-mentioned means.

22. In a lighter, a substantially rigid combustible element, means forigniting said element, means for extinguishing said element, means forfeeding said element as portions thereof are burned away, and meansintermittently in engagement with said element, said engagingmeansjointly upon said element and said catalytic agent.

and means for intermittently feeding said element. .f

CARL JULIUS LAGllil-tHOLMiV

